Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

The unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone and Paper and Fire unite to save the Great Library of Alexandria from itself in this electrifying adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.

Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny....

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.

Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies—and to save the very soul of the Great Library....

Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies—and to save the very soul of the Great Library….

ASH AND QUILL, by Rachel Caine the third book in the Great Library series had me clenching my Kindle as this motley crew of characters faced peril and betrayal in their quest to save the written word and the knowledge it holds.

After the suspenseful ending of PAPER AND FIRE, I was eager to jump back into the story. Because of the way this story is told, it is imperative that you read the series in order. Jess and his comrades barely escaped London and soon find themselves prisoners in a burner stronghold located in Philadelphia. Jess and Thomas soon come up with a plan to keep them alive by offering to build a machine that will undermine the Library. As they work on making the machine, the group formulates a plan to escape.

Caine had me flipping the pages as characters are injured, plans are made, and lives are put in peril. I love this group of characters, and Caine does an excellent job of highlighting each character’s strength, sharing their fears and making me a part of their quest. They have each other’s back and tender moments we witness remind me how courageous each of them is. All will sacrifice in the name of knowledge and their passion for books.

The world building is vivid from the terrifying Automations and brutal destruction to the intense action scenes. Philadephia burst to life showcasing just how intense the battle has become. We also spend time with Jess’s loving father. (insert sarcasm) Caine continues to share news of battles across the sphere through codex messages and library archives at the beginning of each chapter. She also gives us a clear picture of all sides right down to the High Garda and their struggles with following orders.

Their rescue leads them directly into the arms of another whose greed will betray them all, and the cliffhanger ending had me screaming, “Nooooooo!!!!” as I quickly searched to find out how long until the next release.

ASH AND QUILL, was dark and gritty at times. We witness violence and heartbreak as Jess does what he must to protect his friends. We see Morgan use her abilities and it set the hairs at the back of my nape on end. With everything that is happening we do get glimpses into how much each character has changed, share intimate moments and watch them struggle internally. I continue to image these characters as beloved ones from Harry Potter. I cannot help it. Snape, Neville, Draco, and more. I will let you decide for yourself whose face and mannerism I have matched with whom. Our boy Thomas surprised me with his cleverness and fearlessness. It was rather brilliant, and I am quite fond of him.

Do you love books? Fear living in a society where books and knowledge are kept from you? Like steampunk-type technology that can kill you? Want to journey along with a small group of extraordinary characters who are determined to save the world? Then ASH AND QUILL and the Great Library series should be your next read!

About Rachel Caine

Rachel Caine is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 45 novels to date, and many short stories, including fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction, young adult fiction, mystery, thriller, and horror. Her notable series include The Morganville Vampires, Weather Warden, Revivalist, Red Letter Days, and Outcast Season novels. She graduated from Socorro High School in El Paso, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Her first short story was published in 1990, and her first novel in 1991. After a long career in business (including working as an office manager, payroll manager, insurance investigator, web designer, graphic designer, and corporate communications executive) she began writing full time in 2009. She and her husband, artist R. Cat Conrad, live and work in Fort Worth, Texas. Rachel Caine is a pen name of Roxanne Longstreet Conrad.

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. She's a self-professed Whovian, as well as a Supernatural, and Sherlock Holmes junkie, She enjoys sharing books, tips, recipes and hosting the Sunday Post. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat...Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Oh, man. Consider my bubble burst! I thought for sure this was a trilogy, but I see there are more books planned. I was thinking I’d be able to read this one back to back and finish it. I guess not. LOL I’m glad you enjoyed this one so much!

This series has been on my radar because how can I resist anything entitled the Great Library? I’m glad to hear that the 3rd book is still strong. This is a little out of my reading comfort zone so I wanted to make sure the series stayed amazing before I dove in. Sounds like I need to get to the library immediately!

This sounds amazing! This is a series that I’ve had on my TBR for a long time, but then I loaned the first book to my sister since I have so many other titles to read. Sounds like I need to hurry up and get it back. Great review!

We have the first two on our shelf and this third one on the way! These covers are so beautiful, and we can’t wait to start this incredible-sounding series and meet these characters. So happy to hear that you enjoyed this third installment! Thank you for the great review 🙂

This is a series I’ve been thinking about for a while, and sounds like it’s pretty great! And cliffhangers like that are the worst lol. It’s always SUCH a long wait for the next one. I like the sound of the steampunk elements too. I’ll have to get these and binge ’em here at some point. Nice review Kimba!

I have had this one on my wishlist for too long (I mean the series, not just the book). I have yet to get to the first book. What is WRONG with me? 🙂 I do think I want to try to get to it this year. You have me salivating for this book and the series as a whole.

Kim, I love that the author had you flipping the pages. I’m so excited to read this series because I know I’m going to love these characters and all that action. But I’m waiting for the whole series to be out so I can binge-read and not have to deal with cliffhangers!